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Thursday, November 20, 2008

A Myers Briggs Test--For Your BLOG!

As you know, we here at SVP are very attached to the Myers Briggs personality indicator test. So how happy was I to find a Myers Briggs test for one's BLOG! You can find it here.

From their FAQs:

How does it work? For a long period of time, we have been training our system to recognize texts that characterize the different types. The system, typealyzer, can now by itself find features that distinguishes one type from another. When all features, words and sentences, are combined typealyzer is able to guess which type its is most likely to be written by using statistical analysis.

So of course, I had to run all the blogs I read through the typealyzer.

Oddly enough, SVP comes out as ISTP, even though Mary and I are both INFJs. However, our purpose on this blog is to give concrete, practical information so that makes sense. (Well, except for the race car and firefighter part.)

ISTP - The Mechanics

The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generelly prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.

The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.

OTOH, Mary's personal blog, is typed as THE PERFORMER, which pretty much nails her (which anyone who has ever seen her house can attest to.)

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

So, what's YOUR blog type? We'll enter everyone who posts their blog type in the comments in a drawing! The winner can choose between a signed copy of Mary's most awesome book, 10 LUCKY THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME SINCE I NEARLY GOT HIT BY LIGHTENING, OR a critique of the 1st ten pages of a mss, OR a query letter makeover. Winner's choice!

I scored as ISTP too. When I actually took the Myers Briggs some years ago, I was an INTP, and the N was very strong. Interesting that so many are coming out as ISTP. I think that one fallacy of this program is that our blogs, in many cases, represent a constructed persona, a face we choose to present to the world, and don't always show our true personality, or at least not fully.

I'm an INFJ, but my blog came out ISTP. However, my older blog, with more rambling and less advice, was ISFP, The Artist, which is closer to my type.

"The gentle and compassionate type. They are especially attuned their inner values and what other people need. They are not friends of many words and tend to take the worries of the world on their shoulders. They tend to follow the path of least resistance and have to look out not to be taken advantage of.

They often prefer working quietly, behind the scene as a part of a team. They tend to value their friends and family above what they do for a living."

My blog is also a Performer. Part of the description fits me, but not all of it. I think it may have something to do with all my posts about getting together with friends; I figure that's more exciting than blogging my writing--or lack of it.

I'm the ESFP- The Performer - and in "real life" I'm definitely an INFJ. I attribute the difference to a rich inner life as an ESFP. Does that mean I'm bridging on some sort of personality disorder?? Let's not think about that! Anyway, this was great fun; I love to analyze things and the diagram of the brain at the bottom of the results page intrigued me. Thanks.

And you know, I think that's it in a nutshell. We are aware that our blog is meant to be read by others, we need to give them some reason to come back, whether it's concrete information, a fun time, or a place where they'll feel welcome. When blogging, us introverts roll out the welcome wagon, big time!

"Just write your heart out. I promise you that's what matters. I would much, much rather find a great, unusual, distinctive book by a phobic writer covered in oozing sores who lives in a closet than a decent but not amazingly original book by the world’s best promoter. I could sell the former a lot better, too." Elizabeth Law, Publisher, Egmont USA

1) Introversion is not a social disease

2) You will never "outgrow" it, nor should you want to. It's part of what makes you unique

3) We pinky swear you can and will promote your work with success

4) There are tricks to being in the spotlight, and we'll happily share the ones we know!

Quote

Hardly anybody ever writes anything nice about introverts. Extroverts rule. This is rather odd when you realise that about nineteen writers out of twenty are introverts. We are being taught to be ashamed of not being 'outgoing'. But a writer's job is ingoing.--Ursula K. LeGuin

This site is dedicated to all the generous authors and artists who have so freely shared their expertise with us as we have traveled the writing path. In honor of this debt of gratitude, we hope to light a trail for others.